Acting on Opportunities

 

You will never

look into the eyes

of someone God

does not love.

~

Always be kind.

 

 

On Monday night, a Ring doorbell camera caught trick-or-treaters approaching a front porch at a Woodstock, Georgia house.  After climbing the steps, the three boys noticed that the bowl of candy was empty.  As they turned to leave, one of the older boys returned to the bowl, reached in his bucket, took out large handfuls of candy, and added them to the bowl.  The other two followed his example.  As they leave, the more than half full bowl of candy can be seen on the video.  After returning home from trick-or-treating with her children, Kaitlyn Ross realized something must have happened because of the near full bowl of candy and there not being anyone at home to refill it.  After viewing the video, she posted on her neighborhood Facebook and the boys were identified as 13-year-old Carson Wilkey, 8-year-old Eli Wilkey, and 13-year-old Samuel Vasquez.  Kaitlyn responded, “We always hear so much negativity around teens and Halloween – so I’m just so thrilled to share this shining example of kids doing the right thing – even when no one is looking!  This community has a lot to be proud of.”

 

Matthew Resendez was working the evening shift at the restaurant.  A homeless man walked in and asked if there was anything he could buy for 50 cents.  In the course of the conversation, Matthew asked the man what he liked and he responded that anything would help his hunger pains.  After Matthew ordered the man a big meal, he rang up the dinner on his own credit card, gave him the receipt, and told him to “take a seat and relax.”  The story would probably have gone unnoticed, except for a woman who witnessed the teenager’s kindness.  She left a big tip for Matthew and then went a step further and wrote the company to let them know what an exceptional young man they had working for them.

 

A son took his father out to enjoy dinner together.  The older man was slow as he walked to the table.  Being somewhat weak, the father sometimes dropped food on his shirt or in his lap.  It didn’t seem to bother the son as they enjoyed their meal and conversation.  Other diners were well aware of the situation as they watched the two eat and talk.  After the meal, the son and his dad went to the restroom.  The son helped brush off the food and wiped the stains with a damp paper towel.  He even combed his dad’s hair.  As the two men exited the restroom, a hush came over the diners as the son paid the bill.  A man stopped him on his way out.  “Don’t you think you left something here?”  Looking around, the son was puzzled and responded, “I did not leave anything.”  The stranger replied, “You left a lesson here for every son and a hope for every father.”

 

Whether it’s seeing a need and doing something about it, gifting a meal, blessing a worker, taking the time to recognize and acknowledge an act of kindness/service, or caring for and respecting those around us, may we be aware of and quick to act on the opportunities we encounter.

 

 

Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.

Titus 3:14